as of 9/19/2023
get help
To be added to a team’s listserv (or otherwise helped with email groups), contact groups@kehillasynagogue.org (not the Kehilla office, which is super busy). To ask about your team being added to this page or your listing updated, contact newseditors@kehillasynagogue.org.
social justice • community care • affinity groups
Anti-Death Penalty Action Group
Maintains an email listserv about anti-death penalty rallies, vigils, petitions, and news; lobbies, demonstrates, and advocates in public forums. See webpage for details. Contact antidpacontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Art Gallery Committee (historical)
Curated and installed congregant art shows, professional or not, in the Fireside Room, complete with artist’s receptions. Contact former leads at artgallerycontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Belonging & Allyship Racial Justice Initiative
Launched in 2017 to foster belonging for people of color at Kehilla (both Jewish and non-Jewish) and decenter whiteness in the congregation; completed a year-long “Arc of Change” from consultant Yavilah McCoy as a central strategy; open to new ideas and subgroups. See webpage for details. The following subgroups are member-led:
- Community Educators Working Group
Educates the Kehilla community (and themselves) about white supremacy behaviors and supports racial justice practices at Kehilla. Contact cewgcontact@kehillasynagogue.org. - BIPOC Council
Serves as advising subgroup of Kehilla’s staff/member-led DEIB Team, join by invitation only. Contact pocorganizer@kehillasynagogue.org. - Sephardi/Mizrahi Group (inactive)
Contact sephmizcontact@kehillasynagogue.org. - White Folx Decentering Whiteness
Meets virtually, third Thursdays, 6:30–8:30 PM. Contact wfdwhitenesscontact@kehillasynagogue.org. - Youth Education Working Group
Promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion within Kehilla’s youth programming. Meets virtually, alternating first Mondays, 7:00–8:30 PM, and first Sundays, 6:00–7:30 PM. Contact bayouthedcontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Book Group
Hosts a lively book discussion each month and maintains an email listserv. See upcoming book list. Meets virtually, second Mondays, 7:00–9:00 PM. Contact bookgroupcontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Chavurah for a Free Palestine
Educates about Zionism’s impacts; facilitates a discussion group; supports Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) efforts; and participates in Palestine solidarity activism. See webpage for details and to subscribe to e-newsletter. Meets virtually, third Sundays, 5:30–7:00 PM. Contact chav4freepalestinecontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Chesed Coordinating Committee
Coordinates short-term assistance for congregants dealing with medical crises, new babies, or other sudden life changes by connecting them to community members who can help with rides, meals, chores, medical equipment, etc. See webpage for details. Meets virtually every six to eight weeks. Contact chesed@kehillasynagogue.org.
Chevra Kadisha
Supports congregants regarding death, by performing tahara, organizing shmira, managing the Kehilla burial plot at Mountain View Cemetery, and educating congregants about secular advance planning and what to do immediately after a loved one’s death. See blog for details. Meets virtually on third Sundays of odd months, 6:30–8:30 PM. Contact chevrakadcontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Committee Against Abuse (historical)
Developed synagogue protocols for responding to domestic abuse within our community and worked with Shalom Bayit to conduct healing services and regular staff trainings. See guidelines for details.
Committee Connection
Produces bimonthly online newspaper covering Kehilla’s many member-led social justice committees, community care crews, and affinity groups—you’re reading it right now! See webpage for details. Meets virtually as needed. Contact newseditors@kehillasynagogue.org.
Disability Justice Committee
Promotes accessibility, recognition, and belonging for disabled people at Kehilla by supporting disabled Kehillans, addressing inaccessibility, and integrating disability justice principles into Kehilla practices; maintains a listserv. See website for details. Meets virtually, third Thursdays, 5:30–6:30 PM. Contact dj-contact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Economic Justice Committee
Works on criminal “justice” system reform with other Alameda County organizations, currently focusing on cruelty at Santa Rita Jail and appropriate services for mentally ill incarcerated people; promotes progressive policies and ballot measures locally; and maintains a listserv for active volunteers. See webpage and blog for details. Meets virtually, second Wednesdays, 6:30–7:00 PM for dinner, then 7:00–8:30 PM. Contact econjustcontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Face to Face: a Jewish-Palestinian Reparations Alliance
Raises funds, sponsors educational programs, launches cultural exchanges with a Palestinian village in the South Hebron Hills and with progressive Israelis, and maintains a listserv. See webpage and blog for details. Meets virtually on second and fourth Sundays, 6:00–7:30 PM. Contact f2fjprepcontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Faith Trio Committee
Engages in interfaith dialogue and coordinates events and activities with the Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California (ICCNC) and Montclair Presbyterian Church; volunteers at food pantry every Wednesday morning at the ICCNC. See webpage for details. Meets virtually, second Tuesdays, 5:00–6:30 PM. Contact faithtriocontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Greening Committee (listserv only)
Shares information via email listserv about climate justice actions. See webpage for details. Contact greeningcontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Homeless Action Committee
Stands witness at encampment sweeps, engages in local policy advocacy and coalition work, educates congregants as well as the broader community, collects and distributes donated goods for unhoused people, and maintains a listserv. See webpage and blog for details. Meets virtually, second Thursdays, 7:00–8:30 PM. Contact homelessaction@kehillasynagogue.org.
Immigration Committee
Coordinates volunteers to provide assistance and welcome to new immigrants, hosts temporary stays in the Kehilla guest suite, provides immigration court accompaniment, organizes against ICE detention, maintains listservs, and much more. See webpage and blog for details. Subgroups meet as needed, full committee meets once or twice a year. Contact immigrationcommitteechairs@kehillasynagogue.org.
LGBTQIA+ Welcoming Committee (historical; could be revived)
Enhanced significantly the welcome, visibility, and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and more (+) people at Kehilla, and worked to increase the visibility of LGBTQIA+ Kehillans in the East Bay. You may want to try lgbtqi-contact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Men’s Group
Provides an open, intimate space for male-identified congregants to share and listen, and maintains a listserv. Meets virtually, monthly, on a midweek evening. Contact mensgroupcontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Middle East Peace Committee
Advocates for justice, freedom, and equal rights for all living in Israel/Palestine through education and protest, and maintains an informational listserv. See webpage and two statements for details. Meets virtually, first Tuesdays, 7:30–9:00 PM. Contact middleeastchair@kehillasynagogue.org.
Rebuilding Together (intermittent)
Assists the national nonprofit Rebuilding Together’s East Bay-North affiliate with home improvements for low-income households. Contact rebuildingcontact@kehillasynagogue.org.
Sacred Land Committee
Refurbishes the shul’s gardens and outside spaces with indigenous and Jewish plants and educates the congregation, to bring the parcel of unceded Lisjan land upon which Kehilla rests into harmony. See webpage for details. Meets at Kehilla on first Sundays and third Mondays. Contact infoslc@kehillasynagogue.org.
Working Class/Low-Income Group (inactive; new leadership could revive it)
Supported group members regarding difficult class dynamics at Kehilla, raised awareness about class issues within our community, and maintained a listserv for discussion. You may want to try coordinator-wclig@kehillasynagogue.org.